I am trying to start this post early, before the month ends because I don't know if you know this about December, but it's a busy month. And tbh, I am exhausted from spending literal HOURS wrapping presents and yes, they look pretty and also yes, I hate wrapping things. I also took a brief break to go out to a MALL, days before Christmas, so listen, errors were made. What I'm saying is, be nice to some of these mini reviews because I do not know what's about to happen.
Also be nice because while I wrote a bunch of these early, I clearly didn't get this post out early or even on time. Between reading another book before the year ended and then also trying to keep the small one entertained throughout break (he has spent literal DAYS scatting, so my constant background has been "Beep da boop de da de da ba BAH" and sometimes him humming the theme to Sanford and Sons), it's been hard to get things done. But we try our best. I'll be working on some wrap up posts as soon as I can
Number of books read
6
The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown
The Maid by Nita Prose
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard
(I also read a few Encylopedia Brown books to the small one but didn't count them here for what is ultimately arbitrary reasons [I forgot]. That said, did you know there is a character in these stories that collects TEETH? It's mentioned in multiple stories, often unrelated to the case and everyone is just like "Cool, better give this kid our teeth for his collection." I have bothered people IRL about this and am now spreading this for all of you to enjoy as well.)
The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown
The Wild Robot was one of my favorite reads of last month, which was unexpected (and I read a lot of really good things in November, so this says a lot). We continued on with the story, this time as we see Roz try to get back to her island after being refurbished and sold to a farmer. It felt like there is more action this time around, though we still get moments of Roz connecting with the creatures around her (this time, the cows and even the children on the farm. The story is still touching and funny at times but it lacked some of the wonder of the first book. Now, did I cry while reading this? Yes, multiple times. Was it still very good? Yes, very, would read again. Will I read the last book? Yes, eventually, though Matthew has opted for some different stories for now so we're taking a break.
Rating: 4.5 stars
The Maid by Nita Prose
Molly is a maid at a high end hotel. She's very exacting in her work and proud of the work she does. Things have been difficult for Molly these last few months because her Gran, the woman who raised her and helped her navigate the world, has passed away. Molly has trouble reading other people and following social cues, so to not have her grandmother's guidance has been daunting. Especially so when she finds a rich and prominent regular guest at the hotel dead in his room and Molly becomes the main suspect. There seems to be something going on at the hotel that Molly isn't quite clear on (something that some people take advantage of). It is a fun locked-room mystery, and the character of Molly at the center makes the mystery something fun (and frustrating at times).
Rating: 4 stars
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
A thriller that I do not even remember how it ended up on my radar but this one was pretty fun. Cons and secrets. Evie Porter is getting ready to move into with her boyfriend, a guy with a close-knit group of friends and a big house in Louisiana. Except there is no Evie Porter; it's just an alias she was given by her employer Mr. Smith for a job she doesn't really know the details of yet. Her last job didn't go so well and her boss doesn't like mistakes, so she knows she has to be careful. Maybe there's even a chance she can change the path she's on. This book pulled me in with an early scene and I had to know what happened next.
Rating: 4 stars
Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones
OMG this book. This audiobook, specifically. Which sure, I listen to a lot of but I feel it is important to say this is specifically a review of the audiobook because I am pretty sure there is little overlap between the audiobook and the written book. Leslie Jones narrates her memoir, which appears to be about twice as long as the written book and multiple times she makes comments like "Oh I guess I should read this part as I wrote it" or "They wouldn't let me put this in the book, but I'm going to tell you it here." And let me tell you, it is WONDERFUL. The book is just Leslie telling you stories, some sad, some hard to hear, most hilarious about what is has been like for her. This was so much fun. Granted I couldn't listen to it when the little one was around because to say there is a lot of cursing is an understatement. I mean, look at the title, you know what you're getting into. Jones seems like a lot, and not in a bad way. She seems to be very much like the persona you see in her standup or when she was on SNL. What you see is what you get and what you get is so much fun.
Rating: 4.25 stars
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
I read this last November and this year, I was looking for something Christmasy to read. Something Christmasy but also I had just finished watching
Wake Up, Dead Man the latest
Knives Out movie* so I was naturally in the mood for a bit of a murder mystery. While I already knew this mystery, it was still fun and just the right choice for a full day of wrapping. And it's a quick read (the wrapping outlasted the audiobook). Ernest, returning from the other Stevenson books, is trying to figure out if his ex-wife is really innocent of her boyfriend's death, given she woke up covered in his blood with no memory of what happened. 24 chapters, so you can read as an advent calendar if you wanted. Fun, quick mystery and I look forward to more Ernest Cline mysteries
Rating: 4.5 stars
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard
Admittedly, I picked this up because I wanted something short I could finish before the month ended. And I was looking for something to do that wasn't just scrolling social media, but easy enough to pick up and put down (I've read this a bunch of times, in addition to seeing stage productions and the movie) because over break, it's me and the boy and turns out children cause a lot of distractions. (Seriously, you should see how long just this mini-review has taken me to write.) If it wasn't clear from the amount of times I've read this, I am a FAN of this play. It's so funny and moving and has beautiful lines.
Rating: 5 stars
Number of pages read
1,788
Fiction
83%
Female authors
50%
US authors
50%
BIPOC authors
17%
Rereads
33%
Format
audiobook: 67%
ebook: 17%
paperback: 17%
Where'd I get the book
library: 83%
indie: 17%
Decade published
1960s: 17%
2010s: 17%
2020s: 67%
Resolution books
67%
The Maid is by a Canadian author
Leslie F*cking Jones is by a Black author
Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret is by an Australian author
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead is by a UK author and was written pre-2000
*Side note, I loved this. I mean, I also loved Glass Onion and Knives Out remains one of my most favorite movies, so I expected to and way to live up to expectations, please give me 4000 more Benoit Blanc movies, thankyouverymuch
